Natural sources of vitamin and minerals for horses

Most Equus caballus owners too trainers demonstrate give vitamins too minerals to horses every bit business office of their daily programme, writes herbalist Robert McDowell.

Since the regain of Vitamin C too its link with the affliction Scurvy was explained, nosotros are accustomed to beingness told past times the media too past times wellness regime that our wellness volition move improved if nosotros accept additional Vitamin too Mineral supplements to our normal diets.

We are told that it is something virtually the modern lifestyle, stress too the denaturing of our soils, etc, which way that our nutrient render is non every bit proficient every bit it was inward the “old days”. This is of course of didactics truthful to some extent too nosotros should move doing much to a greater extent than virtually the character of our food. We should actually move working much harder on organic too chemical-free farming than nosotros are doing merely until the marketplace position provides a greater incentive for too so doing, this motility volition move slow.

As commons of course, this is non the whole truth.

Modern diets (although mayhap poorer inward character than an ideal medieval diet for example) are vastly amend inward regard to the diversity of nutrient available. Also, although the subsistence farmer had organic food, oftentimes seasonally he suffered severe shortages, storage problems too malnutrition. Scurvy was constitute to make off inward cities too every bit on sailing ships. Even with the wealthy, pitiable dietary habits oftentimes caused severe wellness problems.

This to say cipher virtually medicine which oftentimes contained poisonous substances similar mercury, arsenic, antimony too opium, which did cipher much for the wellness of the population, either.

Vitamin too mineral supplements inward the concluding thirty years became such a lucrative marketplace position inward human nutrition that it was apace taken upwards past times the Animal Feed too Veterinary Supply Industries. There are a broad make of such products marketed specially for horses. Some are harmless, some are detrimental to wellness too most receive got to a greater extent than value every bit a “feel proficient – convenience thing” for the owner, than anything else.

Let us catch some of the natural sources of Vitamins too Minerals i at a time.

Vitamin A: Is constitute inward carrots too leafy dark-green vegetables too is thence much amend fed every bit such, rather than processed supplements.

Vitamin B: Is constitute inward all grains too the catch of giving Vitamin B supplements to animals which receive got grain inward their diet is a consummate nonsense. Vitamin B12 is a petty harder to become too is best constitute inward the herb Comfrey that tin move offered (occasionally too inward modest quantities!) too inward these doses is a valuable supplement.

Bioflavinoids: Can move supplied with a petty Buckwheat to provide for Rutin specially for good for you lot blood vessels.

Vitamin C: Is constitute inward fresh greens inward abundance too it is a pitiable Equus caballus which has no access to dark-green pick. If a Equus caballus is kept away from greens for a fourth dimension a few Rosehips Tea Bags inward boiling H2O too allowed to cool volition provide all the vitamin C too Fe that is missing.

Choline: Is constitute inward bitter vegetables too the leaves of dandelions too a few fresh leaves tin move offered a stabled Equus caballus from fourth dimension to time. Otherwise permit a few dandelions grow roughly the yard too the Equus caballus volition chose them for itself.

Vitamin D: Is synthesized past times the activity of sunlight on pare too constitute inward fish oils. Not needed every bit a supplement for grazing animals.

Vitamin E: Is constitute inward fresh wheat germ along with the whole make of vitamin B’s. Wheat germ is a commercial root of both E’s too B’s. H5N1 petty fresh wheat germ for those horses non on grains is all that is required. Anything to a greater extent than expensive or to a greater extent than processed is nonsense.

Calcium: Is constitute inward dry out feed, leafy greens too inward molasses (along with sulfur)

Iron: Is constitute inward wheat germ, dark-green feed, rosehips too inward molasses.

Silica: Is constitute inward grain too dry out feed inward abundance.

Trace Elements: Are all constitute inward kelp.

It all boils downwards to grains, dark-green feed, wheat germ, molasses, carrots, rosehips too kelp. To this I would add together garlic every bit a protection against infection too provide access to the strange weed similar dandelion too comfrey.

 

Robert McDowell herbal treatments

First published on Horsetalk.co.nz inward 2004.

 

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